Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Waterbury-based renewable energy company, Green Lantern Solar, has completed construction of a 150 kW solar array in Bristol, VT. The Town of Bristol will be the off-taker of net metering credits generated by this array, providing a direct benefit to the Town’s bottom line by reducing the Town’s electricity bills. Green Lantern has completed nearly 90 projects in Vermont, adding nearly 40 megawatts (MW) of new in-state solar power to Vermont’s grid. Green Lantern’s projects are located in 66 towns throughout Vermont.

Audubon Vermont Overall the 2020 Peregrine Falcon breeding season was a very successful one. Of the 55 pairs that were monitored by community scientists and Audubon Vermont and Vermont Fish & Wildlife staff, at least 48 nested, and at least 36 were successful. And it is not only a sin to kill a mockingbird, it is also a crime.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency Foundation has donated $47,500 to charity through their 9th Annual All Charity Golf Tournament at Burlington Country Club. On Monday, August 17th over 100 golfers joined at the Burlington Country Club for The Vermont Agency Foundation’s 9th Annual All Charity Golf Tournament. This year’s event brought 27 teams together to golf for the charity of their choice. The top three teams, and one player selected at random, competed in a closest to the pin shootout with the top team winning $20,000 for YPLAY. Second place received $10,000 for Girls on the Run, and third place received $5,000 for The Sunrise Fund.

Vermont Business Magazine The Data Dashboard on our Current Activity in Vermont web page has a new look! It also now shows new COVID-19 data broken down by Vermont county. Choose the tab at the bottom of the dashboard for “County-level Case Info.” You can also find a graph of new and cumulative cases in each county, as well as breakdowns by age and by sex. As for the data, there were three new cases of COVID-19. There has not been an associated death in a few weeks, which are holding at 58. For those in the Rutland area concerned about the Killington-related outbreak, there are multiple testing sites available.

Vermont Business Magazine Washington Central Unified Union School District (WCUUSD) announced today that they have deployed thermal imaging technology in four of the six district facilities to assist them in monitoring the body temperatures of their students, staff and visitors. Students, staff and visitors will be screened for elevated temperatures and be required to adhere to safety protocols.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont utilities are warning customers of a phone scam today. In a sudden surge of calls, the scammers claim to be from a Vermont utility, including Green Mountain Power (GMP), Burlington Electric Department (BED), VGS, Vermont Electric Cooperative (VEC), Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA), and Washington Electric Cooperative (WEC), and then demand immediate payment and threaten to cut off power. Your local utilities would never treat its customers in this manner. If you receive such a call, just hang up. It is a scam.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, September 5th Bennington will become “Garlic Town, USA” for one day in celebration of garlic, agriculture and community. The actual event takes place from 10am-5pm throughout Bennington’s downtown district. Earlier this summer, when Vermont Governor Scott restricted festivals due to the COVID Pandemic, the Southern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, producers of the renowned “Garlic Fest” pivoted to create something more amenable to safety and the governor’s restrictions. Garlic Town, USA was born.

​Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Retail & Grocer Association seeks to clarify requirements of retail employees wearing masks. Retail employees are required to wear cloth face masks in the presence of other employees and all customers regardless of a translucent “sneeze guard.” VRGA has learned of confusion surrounding requirements set forth by the Vermont Department of Health and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and would like to ensure clarity for everyone’s safety.

Vermont Research News Phosphorus levels in Lake Champlain haven’t always been a cause for concern. It wasn’t until the early 20th-century when marginal farms were abandoned causing afforestation of the watershed that accumulation rates increased. Also, when human activity increases in protected wildlife areas, bobcats have been known to become more active at night. Even recordings of human conversation were found to decrease the diurnal activity of bobcats by 31%. And While Vermont/New York farmers’ markets could benefit by improving facilities and improving the presentation of the products, as they do in Quebec, both regions could benefit from increasing promotion.

Vermont Business Magazine Research Corporation for Science Advancement has awarded a team of faculty from 22 high-profile colleges and universities a small grant with a large goal: to help academic departments in the sciences overcome challenges that have consistently derailed them in the past in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). University of Vermont chemistry professor Rory Waterman is principal investigator on the grant, titled “Moving the Dial: A Network for Systematic Change.”

Vermont Business Magazine Mayor Weinberger released the following statement regarding the protest at Battery Park: As Mayor, the safety of Burlingtonians is my top responsibility. I am concerned about the safety of the protestors who have demonstrated in Battery Park for the last week since the shooting of Jacob Blake. I applaud the work of the Burlington Police Officers who investigated Jordan Atwood for repeatedly approaching the demonstrators in Battery Park while brandishing an assault-style rifle, and arrested him for violating conditions of a prior criminal release.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Health Department continues to investigate an outbreak of COVID-19 cases associated with people who attended a private party at the Summit Lodge in Killington on August 19. At least 14 cases of COVID-19 are known from a party of about 40 people, with some of those cases related to non-party-goers. Some of the guests were from out-of-state. The VDH is emphasizing contact tracing on these and every case in Vermont. Health Commissioner Dr Mark Levine noted that here in Vermont, 92 percent of cases are interviewed within 24 hours, likely one of the highest in the nation.